The John Matherson Terrorist Thriller Book Trilogy Will Be Adapted Into a Series by Michael J. Straczynski
MPI Original Films has picked up the film and TV rights to William Forstchen’s bestselling John Matherson book trilogy, and Michael J. Straczynski is set to write the pilot. Straczynski has worked on projects such as Sense 8, Babylon 5, World War Z, Underworld: Awakening, Thor, and more.
The three books in the series are titled, One Second After, One Year After and The Final Day. The project is described as an “emotionally poignant and terrifyingly real story of America’s immediate and devastating return to a pre-technological dark age in the wake of a terrorist attack.”
The story is set in the hills of North Carolina and follows college professor and former military officer John Matherson who “must fight to preserve the lives of his family and neighbors in the wake of an electromagnetic pulse (EMP) attack. In just one second the US is completely incapacitated, thousands are killed, and millions are stranded. Planes fall from the sky, electricity goes out everywhere, supply lines collapse, and transportation is limited to pre-computer era vehicles and horses. Millions of travelers, unable to get home, wander the highways searching for shelter. In the resulting chaos, residents of John’s tight-knit community look to his leadership to guide them through the difficult decisions that must be made if any of them are to survive.”
That sounds like quite an intense and thrilling story, and it seems like it has the making of a great and entertaining series if it’s done right.
MPI president Rob Pfaltzgraff said in a statement, “MPI Original Films is excited to partner with Startling Inc. and J. Michael Straczynski to bring William Forstchen’s post-apocalyptic thriller to life. The series not only paints an alarming picture of the dramatic and immediate effect of an EMP but demonstrates how society can overcome immense adversity through self-reliance, personal sacrifice, hard work, and cooperation.”
Producer Matt Kennedy added, “We are thrilled to be working with MPI on bringing Bill Forstchen’s sensational and highly entertaining cautionary tale to the screen.”
Have you read these John Matherson books? Do you think they will make for a good series?